Scotland replace Bangladesh in next month's T20 World Cup amid major row

Amid increasing tensions with neighbouring India, Bangladesh repeatedly requested to move their group stage games next month – three in Kolkata, including one against England, and one in Mumbai – to co-hosts Sri Lanka.

The International Cricket Council insisted it was “not feasible” to switch fixtures so close to the tournament, which starts on February 7, adding there was an “absence of any credible security threat”.

Bangladesh refused to budge from their position and the ICC has now taken the step of replacing the Tigers with Scotland, who are the highest-ranked T20 team that did not qualify for the tournament.

A statement from the ICC said: “The International Cricket Council today announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule.

“The announcement comes after the ICC, in the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India, rejected the BCB’s demand to move its matches from India to Sri Lanka, in the 20-team tournament to be played from 7 February to 8 March.”

The ICC said it engaged with the BCB on multiple occasions via video and in-person conferences in an attempt to offer assurances that there was no “credible or verifiable security threat” to Bangladesh’s team, officials or supporters in India.

Once Bangladesh’s request was denied on Wednesday, they were given 24 hours to confirm their participation.

The ICC statement added: “As no confirmation was received within the stipulated deadline, the ICC proceeded in line with its established governance and qualification processes to identify a replacement team.

“Scotland are the highest-ranked T20I side not to originally qualify for the tournament.”

Pakistan, who will play all their matches in Sri Lanka amid fraught geopolitical relations with India, are weighing up whether to withdraw from the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters: “Our stance will be what the government of Pakistan instructs me.

“The Prime Minister is not in Pakistan right now. When he returns, I’ll be able to give you our final decision. It’s the government’s decision. We obey them, not the ICC.”

Scotland will open their campaign against the West Indies on February 7 in Kolkata, where they will also take on Italy and England on February 9 and 14 respectively, before rounding off their Group C campaign against Nepal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on February 17.

Cricket Scotland chair Wilf Walsh said: “I welcomed a call from ICC chair Jay Shah earlier today confirming that Scotland will receive an invitation to play at the ICC men’s T20 World Cup. I was pleased to accept on behalf of our team, who are willing and ready to go.”

Chief executive Trudy Lindblade added: “Our squad have been training for some weeks in preparation for upcoming tours and are now preparing to arrive in India imminently to acclimatise to local conditions, ready to play and contribute to what should be a fantastic ICC men’s T20 World Cup.”